Springtime’s Luminescence
by paula1993
Summary: A bittersweet short story about second chances


Springtime's Luminescence

A consensus has been made; neither he nor anyone could change that fact. Even so, Esaias Arkras couldn't stop himself from peering around the tribunal, hoping someone too was feeling terribly iniquitous as he was. Alti was silent and had his arms crossed tightly; his expression calm and passive. His gaze was nonchalant as if he was dealing with something insignificant.

To his left, Esaias saw Regan slouching and rapidly blinking her eyes as if to keep herself from falling asleep. She too gave out a feeling of boredom and obviously did not feel guilty for what they were doing. Feeling even more dishearten, Esaias nervously returned his sights at the two small figures standing in the circlet of light.

Both of their seemingly white skin had been battered with purple bruises and smeared with dirt; the young male and female's once silky and fine hair was now limp and faded strands drooping from their shoulders. The girl, who was younger of the two, was still, hugging her knees and tattered clothes close to her as if it would give her warmth and comfort. She was not crying nor was she shivering, she only held a distant expression with a pair of dead eyes that did not take in any light. Next to her was the older male, who was kneeling close to the girl to protect her from any danger that might suddenly come at them. Unlike the girl's expression, the boy's face held a mixture of anger, fear, and weariness; his eyes was menacing.

"Please rise, the Head of this Holy Magistrate will now proclaim the final verdict of Clement and Clarity Ridgenwald."

Along with the tribunal, Esaias slowly rose from his seat; averting his gaze from the young boy's fierce and imposing eyes. From the darkness came a tall and old man adorned in white mantle with elaborate symbols embedded on it. The Head of the Holy Magistrate looked at the besmirched pair with stern and cold eyes; he glanced at a piece of parchment then coughed to clear his throat.

"The condemned, Clement and Clarity Ridgenwald, will be temporarily reside in the middle earth for a span of eleven days until you have been able to make-up for your wrongdoing; if you still refuse or fail to execute this task, then we will have no choice, but to forever denunciate you to the dark earth, where no light, hope, nor salvation reside. Dismissed"

Esaias closed his eyes as the Head of the Holy Magistrate reached for his gavel. As he heard a sound of pounding, the young boy's vision started to blur; he turned to his sister and saw that she was already unconscious and was slowly fading. He struggled to look at the crowd one more time, but saw nothing more than a blurred figure whose eyes were closed and was mumbling something, then everything turned black. "Please stay strong."

"Ugh, she really does know how to annoy a person first thing in the morning!" Leon grunted while rubbing his head.

"Well, she did warn or rather screamed at you two times before she thwacked you with the broom." Syon informed, trying to make sense of the paragraph he's reading while watching where he's going. "Besides, she does that everyday any way, so why are you complaining?" Syon closed his book and scanned the area for game.

"HUH?! Why? befause it hufts obfiously!" Leon barked while chewing angrily at the bread. Syon eyed him, "You should keep you mouth closed splattering you food at people is disgusting." He returns his attention to the seemingly infinite rows of trees, ignoring his brother's complaints.

"Hmph, whatever" Leon utters while he finishes the last pieces of bread. Even though he and I were twins we're nothing a like; Syon was more of a goody two shoes than I was. He and I and lived with their parents at a small farmhouse. We didn't suit well with the city so we moved here where it was more, how do I describe it, simpler in a way. Not much people live here so there wasn't much trouble.

"Leon are you just gonna stand there all day or are going to get moving?" Syon called. Leon turned and intended to glare at him for nagging him, but he was already way ahead of him.

"_Ugh, what's with him? _" Leon quickly follows his brother, hoping hopping over tree roots, then finally on flat land. Leon looked around, but couldn't see his brother anywhere; Leon sighed. "_Since he was the only one going too fast, I'm gonna blame him when he gets back. _" Leon slithers down the tree and slowly drifts into sleep.

Leon wakes up with a start when a scream pierces the forest's silence. It was already mid afternoon yet he still did not see Syon anywhere.

"Tch, what the heck does he think he's doing?!" Leon heads towards the direction of the scream, hoping that wasn't Syon or someone else getting ripped to shreads. After a few minutes of running through the surrounding trees, Leon encounters a boy and a girl surrounded by wolves. The boy looked slightly older that he was and the girl was about his age, both of them had fair skin and hair and wore tattered clothes.

Without thinking, Leon charged and fired his arrow he didn't use a gun because he knew that was for emergencies only; he had tackled wolves before so he should be able to handle it now. Leon swiftly fired at the one in front of him then went ahead towards the frighten pair ; all the while, he shot at the one in his left, but didn't react and turn fast enough to his right where the last wolf charged on top of him.

The wolf's claws scathe Leon's face while he fights to somehow throw the wolf to his side. When Lyon finally succeeds throwing the wolf off of him, a gunshot fires through, wounding the wolf, who decides to escape. Leon sees Syon emerge from a brush nearby and gives out a sigh of relief.

"So, you just decide to ditch me and now you get in trouble, honestly how will you ever survive on your own?" Syon teased. He offered Leon a head, but Leon angrily brushed away and grumbled as he got off the ground, as if accepting help was beneath his dignity.

"Well, it was your fault…fast ahead…show off…" Leon whispered

"I'm sorry; I thought someone ungrateful just uttered something to me." Syon hissed. Leon quickly looked at the sky as if something interesting suddenly appeared in the sky. The young girl chortled. The twins looked at the pair and suddenly remembered them.

"Ah, I'm sorry" the girl gasped.

"Eh? Ah, no it's ok; we do that all the time." Leon assured. Despite the stinging wounds in his face, Leon managed a smile to reassure her.

"Putting that aside," Syon faced the pair," Who are you and why are you in the middle of the forest without proper clothing or weapons?" Syon sternly asked. The pair nervously peered at each other, and then looked down.

"Um... we don't exactly remember how we got here, all we remember is who we are and waking up in this forest and a pack of wolves approaching us." The boy stammered. Syon analyzed them.

"_They don't have the ability to harm_ _us, but the fact that they don't remember anything is potentially dangerous_." Syon thought.

"Well, ho—"

"Oh, come on, Syon! Look at them they look like orphans to me what harm could they do?" Leon questioned. Syon looked at him for a second then sighed in defeat.

"Fine," Syon turned to the pair once again, the older boy had a defensive expression while the girl had a nervous expression," would you two like to com back to our house; you look battered." Syon offered.

"Yes, we would like that!" the young boy excitedly agreed. As the twins start to head home, the dingy pair starts to follow closely.

"By the way, I am Clement Ridgenwald and this is my sister, Clarity Ridgenwald."

After a warm bath and a change of clothes, Clement and Clarity waited patiently in the guest room while the twins and their parents fixed dinner.

"So, what are we going to do?" Clarity stuttered. Clement wearily looked at his sister then hung his head once again.

"What else can w—"

The door opens and Leon enters along with a sweet aroma of food.

"Hey! Dinner's ready, why don't come to the table to eat?" Leon brightly asks. The pair hesitantly nods and follows Leon into the table full of mouth watering food.

As days go by, Clement and Clarity warm up to Syon, Leon, and their family. At first the siblings are hesitant and nervous around their saviors, but soon become friendly with them. Nine days has passed since they have met Leon and Syon. It was now past midnight, but both were wide awake.

"Cle-Clement?" Clarity nervously whispers.

"Hmm? What wrong, sis?" Clement whispers back. Clarity huddles tighter on the banket.

"Are we going to leave Leon and Syon soon and go to a scary place?" Clarity whines. Clement flinches at the question, at loss on what to say.

"We have no choice, but to." Clement answers. Clarity turns and covers her body with the blanket. Clement continues to stare at the ceiling, but soon drifts to sleep, hearing faint sobbing sounds next to him.

The next day, Leon, Syon, Clement, and Clarity spend their day off on a bare field with nothing but wheats in the view. Leon and Syon tells Clement and Clarity of their childhood, while Clement and Clarity listens with a peace of mind. Soon it becomes dark and as they were leaving, small lights begin to appear.

"Ah! Clement, look! Fireflies!" Clarity exclaimed while tugging her brother's shirt.

"Yes, it seems so." Clement answered. Leon and Syon looked too and noticed that the siblings had a joyful as well as a distant expression, as if they were remembering some happy memory of the past.

"Let's stay here for awhile, our parents won't worry." Syon announced. Clement agrees and Clarity nods excessively.

"So, did you remember anything special by seeing these fireflies?' Syon asked. Clement stiffened a bit at the question, while Clarity stopped to look at her brother.

"Err…sort of." Clement stammered.

"Eh? Really, tell me about it!" Leon exclaimed. A bit surprised by his willingness to listen, Clement decided it was safe to tell them at least this part of their past life.

"Well, when Clarity and I were a bit younger, we used to live near a small pond where every year fireflies would gather."

"Hey, Clement, tell them the legend that we heard from grandfather." Clarity points out. Clement looks at her alarmingly then nervously peers at Lyon and Syon, who were looking at him, waiting for the story.

"_Sigh~, good thing they didn't notice we remembered more than we said we did._" Clement thought.

"Well, we heard this legend from our grandfather who had heard it from a native in the Philippines, Clement explicates, he said that the legend tell of how fireflies came to be."

"Once upon a time, there was a village next to a big lake where they could catch as many fishes as they want and still have plenty for more. Then, the big lake suddenly dried up and rain wouldn't come. The people prayed to a god night after night to give them rain to make their fields and fishes flourish once again. The god heard the faithful people's cries and announced in a booming voice that he will bring rain once again. Soon, crops grew on fields and the lake was once again filled with water and fish. The god and his wife had a daughter who had long dark hair, lovely eyes under curling lashes. Her nose was chiseled fine; her lips like rosebuds and her skin soft and snow white. She was named Firefly because on her forehead was a bright star. Men of the village fell in love with her, but she could not love for she had a heart of stone. One day, a wise woman fore told the god that the village will soon be invaded and annihilated. The god was shocked and knew the only way to stop them from annihilating the village was to marry his daughter to the leader. Alas, Firefly remained silent no matter how her father begs for she held a heart of stone. In the confusion of his anger the god kills his daughter with a sword, hitting the star on her daughter's forehead. Darkness filled the room and the star shattered in small pieces on her forehead, flickering as if they were stars with wings. The wise woman's vision came through and destroyed the village. Darkness and ashes soon replace the once golden fields. In amidst the darkness came flickering light bugs that filled the starless sky and so came the fireflies. A long time ago they were star fragments of Princess Firefly." Clement explains.

"So, a coldblooded princess, huh?" Leon asks himself.

"Yeah, even though these 'star fragments' were from a cold princess, I consider them as a warm light." Clarity whispered softly. Clement looked at her with a complete feeling of guilt and sadness. Leon and Syon pondered on what they may be sad for, but dismissed the thought as a misunderstanding.

Aftter dinner, Clemont and Clarity retreated to their room, while Leon and Syon tend to the table.

"Cleme—" Clarity gasped.

"Shh! We don't want Leon or Syon to hear us do you?" Clement whispered.

"What are we going to do? Tomorrow's our last day." Clarity sobbed.

"We-Well "Clement stammered.

Meanwhile, Leon and Syon finish cleaning up the table; they both head towards Clement and Clarity's room to invite them for dessert when—

"We can't tell them that we're going to disappear tomorrow!" Clarity said lowly. What they just shocked both the twins. Did Clarity and Clement plan to leave them without saying good-bye?

"We have to tell them that we're no longer alive and that we have to leave for our transfer to the dark earth." Clement exclaimed.

"Bu—"Clarity protested. The door burst opened and Leon and Syon burst right in and demand to know what's going on and why did they have to leave. Clarity and Clement explain that they were told to feel remorse about our crime before the 11th day since we've com back. When Leon and Syon asked what their crime was, Clement and Clarity's face went pale and filled with sadness. They told the twins that they had killed both their parents as well as themselves because of the unbearable poverty that fell upon them. Before the twins could say anything, the sibling burst out of the door, but the twins did not follow.

The next morning dawn was approaching and Clement and Clarity were in the same place they were when they saw fireflies in a long time. They prepared themselves for them to once again disappear instead three figures appear in front of them. One had a bored look on her face and was yawning, another had a stern face that slightly frightens the two, but the one middle was the one that shocked them the most because the man standing in front of them was their grandfather who had a nervous expression.

"Gran—, what are…" Clarity gasped. Horror flowed on her face and she looked at Clement and saw that he too had a similar expression.

"I'm sorry that I have no choice but to do this, I am entitled to it." Esaias solemnly said. Clement and Clarity looked at each other with despair, but quickly turned acceptance.

"We understand." Clarity and Clement said weakly. The three raised their hand, which each glowed with a different radiance. At the same time, Clarity and Clement start to disappear, but with their hands clasped together.

"WAIT!" Leon and Syon yelled. The three paused and looked at the twins in complete surprise.

"They don't deserve this!" Leon exclaimed.

"This seems very unfair because Clement and Clarity deserve happiness for what they went through," Syon explain, " they deserve to be with the people they love and—"

Syon looked at Clement and Clarity, who were slowly disappearing, but their eyes bright.

"They deserve to become lights whose radiance will never fade." Syon declared. The two of the of the magicians looked at each, not knowing what to do, but Esaias' expression soften as if he were cradling a baby.

"I'm afraid that it is already too late we have already commenced our magic and these souls will fade on their own whether they like it or not." The man with the stern face said. Clarity and Clement gasped. Leon groaned. Syon looked away. Was it really too late? Were Clarity and Clement doomed to an eternal life of suffering? As Clement and Clarity's bodies faded, they stay close to Leon and Syon bidding their goodbyes

"N-No! You don't deserve this, you're innocent!" Leon exclaimed. Syon was still looking away, but a slight tremble came from his shoulders.

"You came, that's all that matters" Clarity said softly. Clement and Clarity closes their eyes as they slowly fade away, when small lights begin to appear as the sun's light disappears. Leon and Syon gasp and look in wonder as well as Clement and Clarity.

"Are you sure you want to give up even though it seems beyond hope?" Esaias said softly. Everyone turns to look at him in surprise.

"Clement, Clarity, don't you wanted to become fireflies just like you told me a long time ago," Esaias said," even though the princess was cold as a ghost and had died, warm lights still arouse from her, didn't you want to be just those lights that emit a warm glow?" Esaias questioned. Clarity and Clement had a faint hope in their faces, but was replaced with sadness.

"But, even so it's alre—"Clement said shyly.

"Oh, you don't have to worry about that, I wasn't putting in my magic at all, but was just making my hands glow." Esaias chuckled. The two looked at him alarmingly.

"Esaias, what caused you do such things?!" The one with the stern face exclaimed.

"Oh, lighten up Alti they did prove themselves remorseful about what they did, plus we have proof." Esaias said, gesturing to Leon and Syon.

"Hmm, we'll definitely have an earful about this." The one with a bored expression said.

"Don't be so fussy about it Regan." Esaias chuckled.

"But hey what's happening to Clarity and Clement they're still fading!" Leon exclaimed. Esaias cast Leon a reassuring smile, then a fierce with blows through, causing Syon and Leon to shut their eyes. When the wind died down, Clement and Clarity were gone as well as Esaias, Regan, and Alti. Then, faint lights suddenly filled the whole meadow like stars appearing in the empty sky.

"Hey, you're going to be late!" Leon called.

"Okay, slow down." Syon said.

A year has passed since we've said our goodbyes as well as seen Clement and Clarity. Syon now works at a bookstore, while I'm selling meat to the town. We have missed Clement and Clarity a few time after them left, but we reminded ourselves that they were somewhere out their laughing with the people the care about the most.

"Come on, now you're the one slowing down!" Syon called.

"Coming, sheesh!" Leon yelled. Leon was about to dart when he notices something on the side of his sight. He looks back, but only sees the house and the meadow behind him.

"_Huh? Ah, well probably nothing_" Leon shrugged. He darts off towards Syon, not noticing two fireflies dancing around each other as if captivated by eternal bliss.


End file.
